Most Profitable Business in Nigeria With Low Capital

Most Profitable Business in Nigeria With Low Capital in 2025 (Beginner’s Guide)

Are you looking for the most profitable business in Nigeria with low capital? You’re not alone. Thousands of Nigerians today are searching for smart ways to escape unemployment and start a side hustle without breaking the bank.

The good news is — you don’t need millions to start a profitable business. With as little as ₦10,000 – ₦100,000, you can start small, grow big, and earn a steady income.

In this guide, I’ll share the top 15 most profitable businesses in Nigeria with low capital in 2025, real-life examples, profit margins, and how you can start right away.

1. POS Business (Agent Banking)

One of the most profitable business in Nigeria with low capital is the POS (Point of Sale) business.

• Capital Needed: ₦50,000 – ₦100,000 (for POS machine, float, and setup).

• Profit Example: If you charge ₦100 per ₦5,000 withdrawal, and process 50 customers daily, that’s ₦5,000/day → ₦150,000/month.

• Real Life Example: In Lagos, nearly every street has a POS stand. Some operators even make more than bank workers because of high demand.

👉 Best for people living in areas with few ATMs or high bank queues.

2. Food Business (Street Food or Small Restaurant)

Food is always in demand. Starting a small akara, puff-puff, noodles, or rice shop can turn into a steady source of income.

• Capital Needed: ₦20,000 – ₦80,000 (cooking utensils, ingredients, small stall).

• Profit Example: Selling 200 plates of rice at ₦500 each = ₦100,000/month after expenses.

• Real Life Example: In Abuja, many roadside food vendors (“Mama Put”) make more than office staff.

👉 This works anywhere in Nigeria, especially in busy locations like markets, motor parks, and schools.

3. Laundry & Dry Cleaning Business

Another most profitable business in Nigeria with low capital is a laundry service. People are too busy to wash clothes themselves.

• Capital Needed: ₦30,000 – ₦70,000 (iron, buckets, detergent, soap, packaging).

• Profit Example: Charge ₦500 per shirt. If you wash 200 clothes monthly, you can make ₦100,000.

• Real Life Example: In Port Harcourt, students run a laundry for neighbors and make steady money without owning a washing machine.

👉 Best for urban areas where working-class people live.

4. Phone Charging & Repair Business

With Nigeria’s frequent power outages, the phone charging business is profitable with very low capital.

• Capital Needed: ₦10,000 – ₦50,000 (extension sockets, generator/solar, small shop).

• Profit Example: Charging phones at ₦100 each → 50 phones daily = ₦5,000/day.

• Real Life Example: In villages with poor electricity, phone charging centers are always crowded.

👉 If you add basic phone repair skills, you’ll double your profit.

5. Mini Importation Business

This is one of the fastest-growing businesses in Nigeria with low capital. You can import cheap products from China (via Alibaba or 1688) and resell them in Nigeria.

• Capital Needed: ₦50,000 – ₦150,000.

• Products to Sell: Phone accessories, fashion items, beauty products.

• Profit Example: Import 100 wristwatches at ₦1,000 each → Sell at ₦3,500 → Profit ₦250,000.

• Real Life Example: Young Nigerians are making millions by selling imported fashion products on Jumia, Konga, and Instagram.

👉 Best for youth with internet access.

6. Poultry Farming (Small Scale)

Poultry is one of the most profitable business in Nigeria with low capital because eggs and chicken are always in demand.

• Capital Needed: ₦50,000 – ₦200,000 (depending on scale).

• Profit Example: A layer chicken can produce 250+ eggs yearly. With 100 birds, you can make ₦1,000,000+ annually from eggs and sales.

• Real Life Example: In Ibadan, many families run backyard poultry with just 20–50 birds and earn a steady weekly income.

👉 Best for those with little space at home.

7. Hairdressing & Barbing Salon

Looking good is a daily need, making the hair business one of the most profitable businesses in Nigeria with low capital.

• Capital Needed: ₦40,000 – ₦150,000 (clippers, mirrors, chairs, hair kits).

• Profit Example: A barber charging ₦500 per cut → 20 customers daily = ₦10,000/day → ₦300,000/month.

• Real Life Example: In Lagos, some barbing shops earn more than boutiques because people cut hair every 2–3 weeks.

👉 Great for busy locations and student areas.

8. Car Wash Business

With the number of cars in Nigeria increasing daily, a car wash is highly profitable.

• Capital Needed: ₦50,000 – ₦100,000 (water supply, washing machine optional, soap, brush).

• Profit Example: Wash 20 cars at ₦1,000 each = ₦20,000/day.

• Real Life Example: In Abuja, many students run weekend car wash services and make ₦50,000–₦100,000 monthly.

👉 Works best in urban areas and along busy roads.

9. Printing & Photocopy Business

Every Nigerian student and office worker needs printing, scanning, and photocopying services.

• Capital Needed: ₦80,000 – ₦150,000 (photocopy machine, printer, papers).

• Profit Example: Photocopy 500 papers at ₦10 each = ₦5,000/day. Monthly profit can reach ₦100,000+.

• Real Life Example: In university areas like UNILAG, printing shops never lack customers because of assignments and projects.

👉 Perfect business near schools, government offices, and courts.

10. Social Media Marketing Services

Businesses in Nigeria now need social media to survive. If you can manage accounts, design flyers, or run ads, this is a zero-capital business.

• Capital Needed: As low as ₦10,000 (for data + tools).

• Profit Example: Charge ₦30,000/month per client. With 5 clients = ₦150,000/month.

• Real Life Example: Many youth on Instagram and TikTok now run social media agencies with just a laptop and phone.

👉 Great for students and tech-savvy youth.

11. Data Reselling Business

Selling data bundles is one of the most profitable businesses in Nigeria with low capital, because everyone uses the internet daily.

• Capital Needed: ₦5,000 – ₦20,000 (buy data in bulk, resell to friends/customers).

• Profit Example: Buy 1GB at ₦200, resell at ₦300 → Profit ₦100 per sale. With 200 customers monthly, you earn ₦20,000+ easily.

• Real Life Example: Students in UNIBEN resell data to classmates and make passive income without owning a shop.

👉 Best for students, youth, and anyone with a smartphone.

12. Tailoring & Fashion Business

Fashion never dies. Nigerians love trendy clothes, making tailoring a highly profitable business.

• Capital Needed: ₦50,000 – ₦200,000 (sewing machine, fabrics, rent if needed).

• Profit Example: Sewing native wears at ₦5,000 each → 20 customers monthly = ₦100,000.

• Real Life Example: In Aba, young tailors grow from small shops to big fashion houses through referrals.

👉 Perfect for creative people with sewing skills.

13. Phone Accessories Business

Nigerians buy phone chargers, earpieces, power banks, and cases every single day.

• Capital Needed: ₦30,000 – ₦100,000 (stock from wholesalers in Computer Village, Lagos).

• Profit Example: Buy charger ₦500, sell at ₦1,200 → Profit ₦700. Sell 200 units monthly = ₦140,000 profit.

• Real Life Example: In Lagos, students sell phone accessories in traffic and make more than some office workers.

👉 Best for urban and student areas.

14. Online Tutoring for Students

Education is booming online. With little or no capital, you can start tutoring secondary school or JAMB students.

• Capital Needed: ₦0 – ₦30,000 (data + teaching materials).

• Profit Example: Charge ₦2,000 per student/week. With 20 students = ₦160,000/month.

• Real Life Example: Many Nigerian graduates now teach via WhatsApp groups and Zoom.

👉 Great for educated youth and teachers.

15. Small-Scale Farming (Vegetables & Snails)

Farming is one of the oldest and most profitable businesses in Nigeria with low capital.

• Capital Needed: ₦20,000 – ₦100,000 (land, seeds, tools).

• Profit Example: A small snail farm of 100 snails can generate ₦150,000–₦200,000 yearly.

• Real Life Example: In Enugu, youths sell vegetables from small gardens to local markets and earn a steady income.

👉 Perfect for rural and semi-urban areas.

❓ FAQ Section-Most Profitable Business in Nigeria With Low Capital

The POS business is currently the most profitable business in Nigeria with low capital. With ₦50,000–₦100,000, you can start and earn daily profits.

You can start a food business (akara, puff-puff), data reselling, phone charging, or vegetable farming with just ₦20,000.

Yes. Students can start data reselling, laundry, social media services, phone accessories, or online tutoring with very little capital.

POS services, food selling, laundry, and phone charging are quick-income businesses that generate daily cash flow.

Choose based on location, demand, and your skills. For example, food businesses do well in busy areas, while data reselling and online services fit students and tech-savvy youth.

Conclusion

If you’ve been searching for the most profitable business in Nigeria with low capital, the truth is that success depends on starting small, managing costs, and growing step by step.

From POS business to mini importation, data reselling, farming, and fashion, there are countless opportunities in Nigeria. The key is to pick one idea, start with what you have, and stay consistent.

💡 Remember: even a ₦10,000 idea can grow into a million-naira business if you’re smart, persistent, and customer-focused.